Workplace Doctor: Compassion is key when a worker gets injured on the job

An employee needs physio from a workplace injury, but their health insurance does not cover it. Persuading the employer to pay for it depends on the relationship between employee and employer.

I was injured at work recently by a large glass vase falling off a shelf on to my head. At the time it cut my head and I needed five stitches. Everyone, including my boss and HR, was very apologetic. Now a few weeks on I am suffering from headaches and stiffness in my neck and back. My doctor says I need physio but it's not covered on our health insurance. So who pays in this situation? JH, Dubai

I echo the sympathetic sentiments from your colleagues and bosses. It seems like a terrible accident to experience. Personal injuries sustained at work are very stressful, not just because of the pain but also the complexity of who takes responsibility in managing the situation.

Firstly, in terms of educating yourself on how to deal with this, you need review the UAE lab­our laws, which have detailed information on the role of the employer during such cases. My first suggestion is that you speak with a UAE lawyer who is familiar with the local labour laws immediately. They can provide you with advice that can go alongside with the medical information you already have.

Solving the issue of who pays for the physiotherapy is down purely to influencing your employer to pay or biting the bullet and covering it yourself. As with many things at work, the decision will come as much down to the psychological contract; the informal relationship you have created with you your organisation as any formal contract or written policy.

To consider your next move, you must also truthfully identify whether the extent of your injuries will affect you doing your job to your full capacity and potential (this will be affected by the outcome of the above). If this is the case and your need for treatment is to support you doing your job effectively, then you may be in a more favourable bargaining position.

My view is that if it is having an impact on your behaviour in the workplace then it would be in the organisation’s best interests to support you in getting better as quickly as possible. However, it is up to them and their ultimate decision, all you can do is gather information from the appropriate experts and appeal to their sense of compassion.

An instance like this does call for compassion from an employer, a quality often lacking in many workplaces. In this highly commercial world, many companies continue to be characterised by a long-hours culture, fierce competition between individuals to get ahead and a “no pain, no gain” mentality under which many managers feel pressure ignites performance. Once something goes wrong in an organisation, this culture is not conducive to empathy and understanding.

A colleague of mine at Ashridge has researched in great detail the organisational value of compassion. In compassionate work environments, employees are found to hap­pier and more engaged in their work; they also foster better teamwork, have more satisfied customers and retain people longer. Compassion is therefore not just about being kind to one another – it also builds the bottom line.

This research also found that difficult life experiences, such as illness, injury or bereavement, can be a catalyst for learning and growth at work, with managers becoming more compassionate towards other employees as a result of their own experiences and feeling more connected and committed based on the support offered by their organisation. If your workplace shows compassion to you by supporting your physiotherapy, you will remain engaged and motivated to be productive. So you need to position your case at heart of your organisation, while still showing that it is good for business.

The organisation itself will also gain tremendously from showing sympathy through not only your engagement but by creating a wider culture of support and selflessness. This may also be a catalyst for it to focus more on health and safety, train staff in first aid and implement proper procedures to stop this happening again.

Doctor’s presciption

First seek legal advice on the matter to support your medical information. Yet if you still feel confused, take matters into your own hands by appealing to the good nature of the organisation and the relationship you should have formed. Appeal to their compassionate character and you never know what you may see in return.

Alex Davda is a business psychologist and client director at Ashridge Executive Education, Hult International Business School, and is based in the Middle East. Email him at [e-mail] for advice on any work issues.

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